Child&#39;s slide



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 altering Jan. 15, 1929.

M. G. HILPERT CHILD'S SLIDE Filed July 1923 Jan. 15, 1929.

M. G. HILPERT 'CHILDS SLIDE Filed July 1923 Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,065

M. G. HILPERT CHILDS SLIDE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 1923 Jan. 15,1929. 1,699,065

M. G. HILPERT CHILD'S SLIDE Filed July 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PatentedJan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES MEIER G. HItrnRr, or BETHLEHEM, enameled.

GHILDS SLIDE.

Application filed July 6, 1918s. Serial a... 649,966.

The present invention relates to exercising and amusement slidesparticularly adapted for children. y

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a slide ofthe type mentioned which has no supports and is easily transportable bychildren from one position to another, being particularly designed toutilize as supports such articles as Stairways, chairs, beds, tables,and the like.

Another one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide aslide of the character mentioned which combines the properties ofsafety, durability, strength and lightness, thus adapting it to behandled, set up and used by children of rather tender years.

, The principal features of novelty are as follows:

l. The slide is light in weight so that children can easily handle andtransport the same.

2. Although the slide is light in weight, it has maximum strength forsaid weight, being strong enough so that heavy adults can use the slidewithout injuringit.

3. The slide is of such length that it can be passed through the usualdoorways and can be easily stored in closets and the like.

at. No securing means is required to setup the slide ready for use. Itis constructed so that it may be supported at the high end on the treadof a stairway, chairs, tables, beds, etc. The slide is constructed sothat it will rest on flat supports sucha tread of a stairway, table-top,and the like without fear of displacement, or it can be supported by arail such as at the top of a chair, fence or bed, the slide having aprojection adapted to hook over such rail.

5; The slide is convexly curved at its upper end to afford a seatfor thechild When mounting the slide and. starting to coast.

his curved portion also adapts the slide for support at its upper end onfiat surfaces, the

' curve affording a clearance between the slide and the front edge ofthe flat surface.

6. The side flanges of the slide, at the upper end, are cutaway so as toafford easy access to the slide at said end.

7. The slide at its lower end is concavely curved so that it may rest ona fiat surface such as a floor, and discharge the child substantiallytangentially with the floor without any drop, thereby eliminating thechances of possible injury due to the drop. that thechild 1s subjectedto with the usual type of slide.

8. The slide is provided at its lower end with a flexible flap whichforms a floor or ground covering to receive the child leaving the slide,thus protecting the child from spl nters or slivers in the floor, andfrom dirt, sand, etc, and eliminating the chances of tearing or soilingthe childs clothes. This flap may be marked at regular intervals withtransverse lines for the purpose of determiir mg the distances that thechild slides, thus giving the device a game value in addition to thepleasure obtained from the mere coasting down the slide. 1

9. At its upper and lower ends the slide may be provided with transversebearing members which project laterally from the sides ofthe slide, thusadding to the stability of the slide and keeping the same out ofcontactwit-h baseboards, etc. Because of these projecting transversemembers it is icm" ossible for, a, child to pinch its fingers be weenthe slide and the base-board.

10. The lower or bearing surfaces of the transverse members may. becurved convexly so that the slide always has a normal bearing on itsflatsupports. Because of this feature these is nocomponent of the weightof the slide or child to cause longitudinal movement of the slide.

11. The slide comprises side members or flanges which. support theslide-way and the slide-way is secured to said members or flanges insuch a manner as not to weaken said flanges or members. i

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from thedescriptiontaken in connection with the drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a slide constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of such a slide.

Figure 3 is an endelevation of the slide.

Figure 4 is a plan view on a larger scale of the lower end of the slide,showing a flexible flap secured thereto and adapted to form a floor orground covering to receive the children as they shoot out from the endof the slide.

liigure 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 4.

Fi ures 6, 7, 8 and 9,; apetransverse sectional elevations oi the slideillustrating several structuralmedifioationd Figures 10 to 17 inclusiveillustrate the slide supported on various objects, Figures 10, 1:2 and il showing the slide supported on the tread ol :1. stairway havingdifferent iiielinations.

Figures 18 and 19 illustrate the manner of securing two or more slidestogether to form in effect a. single long; slide.

Figures 20 and 21 illustrate the slide supported at its upper end on arailing of a "fence and on the seat of a chair, respectively.

Figures 22 and. 23 are longitudinal and transverse sectional viewsrespectively, oi a modified form of slide.

The slide of the present invention, although adapted for outdoor use inconnection with terraces, porches, fences. etc. is primarily designedfor indoor use, that is to say, in houses or apartments. For thispurpose. according to the present invention. the slide is so constructcdthat it can be easily transported by children from one place to another.easily stored, and can he set up on various articles found in theaverage house or apartment, and at elevations to provide good and safeinclinations according to the age of the child.

To these and other ends the slide consists simply of a slidewvay withoutany attached supports. One or both of the end portions of the slide-waymay be curved to present a convex seat portion at its upper or receivingend, and it the lower end .is curved, a concave delivery seat portion atits lower end. The curvatures are such that at all angles at which theslide may he set up, a substan tially horizontal seat is provided at thereceiving or upper end, and the child is delivered in a substantiallyhorizontal direction (see Figs. 10 to 17, and 20 to 22). More over, thereverse curvatures mentioned above add to the stiffness ot the slidewhich, together with other features of construction hereinafterdescribed. gives a slide combining: great strength with n'iiniminnweight.

The slide illustrated in Figures 1 to 21 inch'isivc. includes a pair ofside flanges or beams '10. a slide-way 11, and end hearing IllQliillFl'S12. The slide is adapted to he sup ported solely at its two ends withoutany securing means, the beams 10 transmitting the load from theslide-way to the supporting surfaces through the end. bearing; members12. l'hcjteri-ibly the under surfaces oi the end hearing: members areconvexly curved so that the slide is adapted, no matter at what unc loit is positioned, to .give equal. sullicicnt and true or normal hearing;on fiat supporting surfaces. This construction eliminates any suchtendency of the slide to slip on its supporting surfaces as occurs whena slide is set againstthe edge of a table or stairway. Where the supportsurfaces are horizontal, as usually is the case, the weight of the slideand its'load will be transmitted vertically to said surfaces, therebeing no horizontal components of the weight tending to move the slidelougitui'linally. This is an important feature not only from thestandpoint of safety, but also because it enable the slide to hesupported on articles of furniture and household [ixlurcs without danger o't injury to the bearing surfaces.

Preferably the transverse bearing mcmhers 12 project a substantiallistance from the side beams 10 on each side thereof. This constructionmakes the slide very stable, preventing it from turning over sidewayseven though the child should lean far over the side. Furthermore, thesesupports provide a rigid base even when the slide is placed on ayielding support, such as a chair cushion or a bed mattress.

Another advantage of this construction rcsides in the fact that theprojecting portions of the transverse members act to space the slidcwayfrom a. wall or washluuird, thereby making it impossible for the childshand or fingers to be Cullfg'l'ill between the slide and the wall orwash-board. It also prevents the child from rubbing against such wall orboard when sliding, thus eliminating the chance of damaging;- l'hc wallor injuring the child. This construction also permits using a narrowslide-way having; even greater Sid." bility and strength than a widesliileovay, for the reason that the load is necessarily more centeredwith respect to the base or supports of the slide.

The seat or slide-way 11 consists preferably of a number of thin stripsof wood supported on cross members 13, which are attached to the sidebeams by corner members lei, 14/, 14 and 14 (see Figs. 6v 7, 8 and 9).The strips forming; the sliding; member may have tongucd and groovedjoints as shown in Fi 6 and 7, thus permitting; the strips to be sccuredto the cross pieces by nails or brads 11 the heads of which are covered.or they may be connected in any other suitable manner. As shown inFigure 8, the strips 11 may be spaced from each other and attached tothe cross n'icmbers 13 by nails, screws. or the lihiu inserted from thebottom of the cross members l3. lt is also within the scope of theinvention to use a slide-way of sheet material. as veneer or sheetmetal. Such a modilication is shown in Figure 9. where the slideway isshown at 11.

The corner pieces ll 14-". 'l-l and l-! are disposed within the sidebeams and not licli'iw the same, and are secured to the side beams byscrews 8, or the like. which pass throuilh said beams well above thelower edsrcs thereof. This construction provides a maximum underClarence for the slide enabling it to clear. for instance. the noses ofintermediate stair treads without necessitating excessive top and bottomreach curves, wl'iercby the slide may he used in connection with highlypolished steps or the like without the least injury lllll lll curvedconcavely to provide the bearing momber 29, adapting the slide to restsecurely on flat supporting surfaces. The side members 24: may besecured to the slide-way and hand or guard boards 27 by screws or bolts80, or

the slideway 525 and side members 2 f may be spot-welded together.

Although two forms of the invention have been described in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not thus limited. but includesmodifications and changes which come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, havi? a, transverse endbearing members projecting; from the under side thereof, said membershaving convex bearing surfaces on the bottoms thereof, whereby the slidewill bear normally at its two endson surfaces of different levels.

2. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, having transverse endbearing members secured to the under side thereof and projectinglaterally therefrom at each end.

3. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a chiloand adapted to be supported on various articles, having a convexlycurved seat portion at its upper end and having a transverse endbearii'igj member projecting from the lower side of said seat memberprovided with a convex surface on the bottom thereof and adapted tosupport the slide on a level surface or to hook over a narrow support.

4. A childs exercising and amusen'ient slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, consisting of a channelhaving an angularly extending upper portion presenting a substantiallyhorizontal seat and a concavely curved dclivery portion and having endbearing members provided with conveXly curved bearing surfaces on theirlower sides adapted to sugport the slide normally at different angles ofi n cli'nati on. a

5. A childs erercisiup, and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, comprising a channelhaving oppositely inclined end portions and having end bearing surfacesoro'ectin from the under side thereof, said surfaces being shaped to t'ansmit the weight of the slide and its load normally to the supportingsurfaces.

6. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, comprising a channelhaving reversely curved end portions and transversely extending endbearing members secured to the under side of the channel and havingrounded surfaces, whereby the weight of the slide and its lead istransmitted normally to the supporting surfaces.

7. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, comprising a channelhaving a conveXly curved receiving end and having a relatively widetransverse end bearing member secured to the under side of saidreceiving end, said bearing member having a bearing surface disposed asuflicient distance from said channel to enable the slide to clear theedge of a flat supporting surface and to rest on said flat surfacethrough said bearing member without marring said surface.

8. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on arious articles, comprising a channelhaving reversely curved end portions provided with convexly curved supporting surfaces on the under side thereof. the flanges of the channelat the upper end portion thereof gradually decreasing in depth towardthe end to permit easy mounting of the slide from the side.

9. A childs exercising and amusement slide readily portable by a childand adapted to be supported on various articles, comprising a channelhaving reduced flanges at each end and rounded supporting members fornormal hearing on fiat surfaces at different evels.

10. A childs exercising and an'iusement slide readily portable by achild and adapted to be supported on various articles, comprissidebeams, a seat member secured thereto, hearing members secured to theunder side of aid seat member at the ends thereof, said lit-airingmembers having rounded surfaces, whereby the slide will her J normallyat its two ends on surfaces of dii'i'erent elevations.

11. A childs exercising and amusement slide comprising a channel havinga con *exly curved receiving end and a concave delivery end, combinedwith a flexible sheet secured to the under side of the delivery endadapted to form a floor or ground coverin to receive the child at thefoot of the slide, said sheet having a plura it of longzgitudinallyspared ii'alications on its uppcr face.

12. A childs exercising and amusement slide adapted to be supportedsolely at its two ends, comprising;- side beams, a seat. member, andmeans for securing the seat member to the side beams comprising cornerstrips engaging said beams and seat member, fastening devices passingthrough said beams well within the marginal portions thereof and intosaid corner pieces and other fastening' devices securing said cornerstrips to said seat member.

13. An amusement and exercising slide of such Weight that a child cantransport the same and of such length that it can be easily passedthrough a doorway of usual size, comprising a relatively long slideW-ay,the end portions of which are inclined with respect to the centralportion, and projecting in opposite directions from said centralportion", the upper 01? said end portions adjacent its tip end having anarrow transversely extend ing part projecting slightly from the bottomface of the slide, the under surface of said part constituting a narrowbearing surface for the corresponding end of the slide, whereby theupper end of the slide may be supported on any horizontal surface suchas a trend of a stairway or table without liability of displacement orsupported on a rail such as the top of chair or fence by booking thesaid transverse part over said rail.

14. A childs exercising and amusement slide, comprising a channel, and amember connected to the lower end of said channel adapted to form afloor or ground covering to receive the child at the foot of the slide,said member being, foldable into said channel when the slide is not inuse.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aitix my signature.

MEIER G. HILPERT;

